Fliers of the U.S. Army Air Force -China-Burma-India theater, at an airfield in Kumming China. They converse in front of a B-25 bomber. Chinese man in background. Colonel Robert L. Scott, Jr. sitting on the nose of a Flying Tiger Curtiss P-40. American fliers looking over a Huff Daland two-seater bi-winged plane with French insignia on side of fuselage.. American Air Force Headquarters in Kunming,China. Sentry houses on both sides. A Chinese officer in front of fields.

Japanese officials meeting in strategy session. Japanese infantry on mission to cut Chinese supply lines during 2nd Sino-Japanese war. Black smoke rises as they move along a river bank. Chinese prisoner-workers are forced to rebuild railroads destroyed by the Chinese people during their great Westward trek. Japanese soldier closely guards workers. A Japanese army armored train underway on the rebuilt railroad, as Japanese soldiers cheer. Animated map shows China's supply lines by sea, to Tsingtao, Hangchow, and Amoy, cut off by Japanese naval blockade. Japanese Navy launch with officers and crew moving near commercial ships as they take over Chinese river ports. War materiel and other supplies destined for China, including trucks, sit idle, unable to be transported to their destinations. Large oil tanks and drums of gasoline are shown, as well as gun barrels and a flightline filled with parked Curtiss P-36 Hawk aircraft. The Imperial Japanese Navy destroyer Asakaze (DD-3) and another, next to it, in a Chinese river port. A Japanese freighter with anchored weighed, secured by long lines to a wharf. Small boats flying Japanese Naval ensigns are next to it. View of map showing china, Burma, Indo-China, and Chungking, with Japanese blockading fleet stationed in the South China Sea. It traces path of narrow gauge rail line from Indo-china to Kumming,China, where it connected to an overland road to Chungking. Next it traced the old Camel Caravan route, across China, from Russia. Narrator notes these were to small to be useful and too close to Japanese-occupied territory. Next, the map traces a railroad that from the port of Rangoon to Lashio, Burma. It is separated from the road to Chungking, by mountains and gorges. Views of the actual mountainous terrain. Animal pack trains moving through the area. Construction engineers in a large drafting room designing a road to transit the area. View of modern road-building caterpillar tractor equipment of the type needed to accomplish this. View of Chinese laborers using manpower instead. They push large rollers and employ pickaxes and other hand-held tools to carve away and dig road beds. Masses of Chinese laborers at work, carving a road along the edge of a mountain. Two-men teams using manual tampers to pound down the roadbed. Children are employed along with adults. A woman with a baby on her back, pounding large rocks into gravel, surrounded by other children doing the same. View from above of the "Burma Road," the product of their labors, winding its way through the mountains and gorges. Many scenes of trucks moving along portions of the Burma Road. P-40 airplanes flying past white cumulus clouds, overhead. Animated map shows continued expansion of Japanese occupied areas to encompass two thirds of the rail lines in China with goal of controlling the remainder, starting at Chengchow, in Summer, 1938. View of Chengchow region, on banks of the Yellow River. Map illustrates flow pattern of the Yellow River. View from past of the Yellow River's Spring floods toward the Sea, with Chinese people throwing rocks onto dikes that keep the river flowing in a more Northerly direction than its former course. Illustration shows how with Japanese encrouching on Chengchow, the Chinese decided to destroy those dikes and allow the river to flood over its former more Southerly course. Japanese soldiers being inundated by the flooding river. Japanese infantry and tanks regrouping on their occupied side of the new (old) path of the Yellow River. Local Chinese residents of Chengchow, wade with belongings as they leave their flooded homes.

China establishing a new nation in its western regions after fleeing Japanese invasion of the east during the 2nd Sino-Japanese war. Animated map depicts areas of Japanese occupation and highlights reborn old cities including Lanchow, Chengtu, and Kumming. It highlights Chungking as the new Capital City of Free China. Chiang Kai-Shek is seen leading a group of Chinese leaders as they walk through an arched gate in Chungking. A busy street with shops and apartment houses, in commercial district. It is filled with pedestrians, cart traffic along the curbs, and automobiles in the road center. Boatmen on the Yangtze River are seen below long steep steps leading up to the streets above. Views of houses clustered along the cliffs, and workmen digging bomb shelters into the cliffs. View from inside a shelter being hollowed out of the rock. Back in the Japanese occupied area, a car brings a Japanese Air Force leader who addresses a large group of fliers at an airbase. Next, Japanese air crews are seen running to their airplanes from their camp on the airfield and taking off in their Mitsubishi G3M bombers, to attack Chungking. Nakajima Ki-27 airplanes take off from the field and join in large formations overhead. A formation of Chinese World War 1 era are seen inflight, ostensibly to engage incoming Japanese bombers. Japanese crew member in a bomber sees the Chinese fighters and gunners in the bombers get ready to fire on them. The Chinese fighter planes dive at the bombers, but are intercepted by Nakajima Ki-27 airplanes flying cover. Dog fights ensue with Chinese planes being shot down, and the bombers continuing on their way. Air raid sirens sound in Chungking and people run to their shelters, including many school children. Views of bomber crews at their stations and then of bombs falling with the Yangtze river below. Bombs striking along the riverfront and inland, along the cliffs. View of machinery operating and Chinese workers occupied in underground factories in Chungking. Fires burning throughout the city,from the bombing, and Chinese fire fighters working to extinguish them.

A summary report purporting to reflect phases of Japanese so-called "Tanaka Plan" beginning with Conquest of Manchuria, followed by Conquest of China; establishment of bases in South Pacific; and Conquest of the United States. Animated map shows pressure by German forces in offensive against Soviet Union and illustrates German air war against Britain. Scenes of bombing destruction in Britain, including overturned double-decker bus in ruins of buildings. A Nelson Class British battleship viewed from dead ahead. She is followed by the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious. The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC. American newspaper headline reads:"Navy Bill Passes House." and "Huge Sum Voted for Two Ocean Navy." A line of U.S. Navy battleships underway, led by the USS Mississippi (BB-41). A field full of U.S. M3 Lee tanks moving in formation, as they are overflown by several Douglas B-18 bombers. Assembled Japanese leaders in a forum. Japanese Naval officers in a planning conference. Closeup shows Admirals Shigeyoshi Inoue and Raizō Tanaka pointing at a chart and conversing as other officers look on. Next, bomb bursts and black smoke rises as the attack on Pearl Harbor is underway. The USS West Virginia, USS Tennessee, and the USS Arizona, burning on Battleship row, during the attack. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek with staff officers walks to a waiting car. Forces allied with China, including American troops marching; British troops marching; and Dutch Colonial troops marching (in Batavia, the Capital of the Dutch East Indies). Japanese troops continuing their conquest of China, firing a field piece, and infantry charging. Newspapers announce Japanese advances into Malay Peninsula and Hong Kong. Others cite fall of Singapore fortress and of Corregidor (6 May, 1942). Animated map shows Japanese occupation encompassing Indo-china, Thailand,and Burma (with loss of the Burma road) all of which compounded China's war efforts.

The film 'Sea power in the Pacific' showing Japanese dominance in China and at start of World War 2. Then it chronicles U.S. efforts to build Navy and fight back on sea and in the air. Opening scene shows Japanese Mitsubishi G3M (Type 96) bombers high overhead, and then closeup in formation. View from bomber of bomb bays open with bombs falling and view from ground of explosions and destruction. Overlay on film says: "China---1931." (This is not correct. The G3M bomber was not yet in service.) This film depicts Japanese attacks during second Sino-Japanese War, commencing 1937, Chinese civilians running to escape Jap;anese bombing of Singapore. Buildings destroyed and on fire. Next, Japanese troops, carrying the Rising Sun flag, are seen establishing a beachhead in an Amphibious assault. More scenes of Japanese infantry advancing through Singapore, ad it is being destroyed and burned. Soldiers charging along an alleyway, with pagoda in background. Next, Japanese soldiers are seen attacking Nanking, and committing atrocities during the so-called "Rape of Nanking," in December, 1937. Chinese civilians being summarily shot and dumped into a large open grave. Two Chinese prisoners with hands bound, being executed by rifle fire. Jubilant Japanese troops celebrating their victory. Map shows areas of China occupied during second Sino-Japanese war and the East Indies to the South. View of oil tanks; an open pit tin mine; a native cutting rubber tree bark to collect latex. Flags on map show regions of English, French, and Dutch colonial interest. It also shows Islands to the East, fortified by the Japanese. Cartoon shows Japanese soldier opposed by and American sailor (representing U.S. Sea Power). Next, famous images of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, December 7, 1941, are shown, including the USS Arizona burning and sinking. Hawaii, Midway, Wake, and the Philippines Islands, are highlighted on a map and Japanese control of the Pacific is illustrated. Japanese soldiers are seen displaying a captured American flag. U.S. Lieutenant General Jonathan M. Wainwright is seen surrendering the garrison at Corregidor, on May 6, 1942. View of Japanese General Masahara Homma discussing surrender terms with Wainright. Map shows interlocking web of Japanese fortified bases in Pacific and need for seapower to oppose it. View of American shipyard with hundreds of workers, employed to build ships for the war effort, in World War 2. Views welding, metal fabrication, and other shipbuilding activity. A new ship going down the ways and a woman christening a new ship with splash from bottle of champagne. A new "Liberty Ship," the Richard Bassett, going down the ways at Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard Inc. Baltimore, Maryland. Closeup view as the stern of another ship enters the water upon launching. View of it from a distance. Shipyard workers knock supports from under what may be a landing craft, as it is launched. Japanese warships underway in the Pacific and firing their naval guns. Explosions on a shoreline from naval bombardment. Japanese infantry wading ashore during an amphibious assault. Map shows where Japanese forces attempt an amphibious assault on Southern New Guinea, thwarted by the U.S. Navy in the battle of the Coral Sea of May, 1942. In June, 1942, a Japanese attempt against Midway Island, was again checked by the U.S. Navy in the Battle of Midway. View of USS Wasp (CV-7) carrier deck filled with airplanes, including Grumman F4F Wildcats. A Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber being cleared for takeoff from the Wasp. Gun camera film showing Japanese airplanes being shot down by pursuing U.S. aircraft.

Scenes of Japanese military activities in China, circa 1938 through 1942. Animated map shows thrusts of Japanese military forces at Guangzhou (Canton); Changsha to the North and points West circa 1938. A captured airfield with destroyed and damaged aircraft. A destroyed P-40 with Thunderbird image on its wing. A damaged P-40 parked in the grass displaying painted teeth motif of the Flying Tigers (American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force). A scrap heap of airplane parts, at least one displaying the American star in circle insignia. A tattered map on Bulletin Board showing a logo on part of China. A village near the airfield. Japanese troops board a camouflaged barge to cross a river. A Japanese Ki-27 (Nate) airplane in flight overhead. Column of Japanese troops wending their way along a hillside. Smoke rising from explosions in a port town, with water and hill in background. Bombed out buildings in a town. Japanese infantry and an officer on horseback enter virtually deserted Chinese town. Camouflaged Japanese army vehicles and artillery travel on dusty road. A Ki-27 airplane flies low overhead. Japanese artillerymen set up 120mm gun and rangefinder. Battery of Japanese 120mm guns firing. Wreckage of an American B-25 aircraft. Wreckage of more Allied warplanes. Map showing Formosa; Wenzhou, opposite, on Chinese mainland; and Philippine Islands. Arrows depict Japanese military movements from the Ryukyu Islands.